Newer homes able to 'withstand' category four cyclone

A construction expert says north Queensland homes built after 1980 should be able to withstand winds up to 250 kilometres an hour.

The manager of the Cyclone Testing Station at James Cook University in Townsville, Cam Leitch, says modern building standards for cyclone prone areas are based on a low to mid category four cyclone.

"Theoretically modern housing should withstand a low to mid-category four, all else being equal," he said.

"There are some factors that come in like maintenance or corrosion or wind-borne debris, which is going to put extra loads on your house."

Mr Leitch says older Queenslander homes built before 1980 are also remarkably strong.

"The good news is that the old Queenslander - the traditional Queenslander with the old metal roof and lots of vertical timber boards and things - they're almost like little cyclone rods and they've got smaller rooms and often not big windows so they are actually quite a strong construction," he said.